Control circuit



Aug. 8, 1967 L. A. WARNER 3,335,319

' CONTROL CIRCUIT Filed Feb. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l .2. m V /Z LAMP vHOUSING A '3 v a 4a za 3 3 11 4 I L SOURCE OF POWER 2 5 L. A. WARNERCONTROL CIRCUIT Aug. 8, 1967 Filed Feb. 19, 1965 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 J0010/ J02 J03 1 4 United States Patent 3,335,319 CONTROL CIRCUIT Louis A.Warner, 5223 N. Natoma Ave., Chicago, Il]. 60656 Filed Feb. 19, 1965,Ser. No. 433,954 5 Claims. (Cl. 315-201) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Acontrol circuit which is particularly applicable in a light dimmingarrangement to provide a balanced, variable degree of illumination.

This invention relates to a control circuit and more particularly itrelates to a light dimming arrangement for providing progressive degreesof illumination.

In the past, numerous light dimming arrangements have been devised forproviding progressive degrees of illumination, however, they all havebeen generally unsatisfactory, for one reason or another. For example,arrangements having two or more lamps and a switch for simultaneouslylighting one or more of the lamps to provide different degrees ofillumination have been devised. Arrangements of this type are generallyunsatisfactory, however, since the individual lamps are spaced from oneanother so that in switching only one or the other of the lamps on, anunbalanced lighting, or illumination, effect results. In other cases, 'alamp having a number of filaments is used, but lamps of this type arerelatively expensive and are therefore economically undesirable.Arrangements have also been devised using resistors to limit the currentflow through a lamp or lamps, autotransformers to step-down the linevoltage and complex circuits for providing an infinite degree ofillumination. These latter arrangements have also been generallyunsatisfactory for the reason that power is wasted, or they arerelatively expensive and/or they are adapted to a particular applicationor environment.

The present invention is particularly applicable for providing differentdegrees of illumination, however, it will be apparent from thedescription which follows that it is equally applicable to control thedegree of energization of electrical apparatus other than lamps.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a controlarrangement for controlling the degree of energization of electricalapparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide a control arrangementfor controlling the degree of energization of electrical apparatuswherein control is effected with no waste of power.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a controlarrangement for providing different degrees of energization ofelectrical apparatus which may be easily expanded to provide an infinitenumber of different degrees of energization.

It is a further object to provide a control arrangement for providingdifferent degrees of illumination, which is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture and which is easily adaptable to various applications. Inthis respect, it is also contemplated that the illumination provided bebalanced.

It is a further object to provide a control arrangement for controllingthe degree of energization of electrical apparatus having incorporatedtherein provision for indicating when a short circuit occurs, renderingthe appa ratus potentially dangerous.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The control arrangement according to the principal embodiment ofinvention comprises two pairs of output terminals, a two gang-fourposition switch and a pair of rectifiers. These elements are connectedin a fashion such that:

(1) in a first switch position, both output terminals are deenergized;

(2) in a second switch position, the apparatus connected to each of theoutput terminals to connected in series with one another so as tooperate at 25% full power;

(3) in a third switch position, the apparatus connected to each of theoutput terminals is connected in series with an associated rectifier andin parallel across the source of power so that the apparatus connectedto each of the output terminals is supplied current on only onealternation of the source of power and therefore operate at 50% fullpower; and

(4) in a fourth switch position, the apparatus connected to each of theoutput terminals is connected directly across the source of power sothat they operate at full power.

In the hereinafter described application of the invention, a lamp isconnected to each of the output terminals, to provide different degreesof illumination, and it may be noted that the lighting effect providedis always balanced, regardless of the degree of illumination, since bothlamps are lighted in all cases. It may be further noted that no powerwaste results, since no current limiting impedances or line voltagestep-down devices are used. In other applications of the controlarrangement, electrical apparatus having, for example, a pair of heatingcoils may have one of the heating coils connected to each of the outputterminals so that different degrees of heat can be provided.

A safety feature in the form of a warning light is incorporated in thecontrol arrangement and is energized should a short circuit result fromthe housing of the electrical apparatus to the source of power.

The control arrangement of the principal embodiment of the invention iseasily modified to provide still additional degrees of energization bymerely expanding the apparatus, or circuitry, secured to the two pairsof output terminals. For example, according to a second embodiment ofthe invention, a third lamp is secured in parallel with the lampconnected to one of the two output terminals and a switch is provided toconnect this third lamp in and out of parallel circuit relationship toprovide still another degree of illumination. In a third embodiment,each of the output terminals has two series connected lamps coupled toit, the latter of the two series connected lamps being coupled through aswitch which may be operated to include, or disconnect, the lamp fromthe series circuit to provide still more degrees of illumination. In afourth embodiment, four lamps are used and two of them are connected toeach of the two pairs of output terminals. A switch is included in thecoupling between the output terminals and the lamps which is adapted toswitch the lamps from a series to a parallel circuit arrangement. Withthis latter arrangement, an almost infinite number of different degreesof illurnination can be provided. The arrangements disclosed in thelatter embodiments can be advantageously used in pole lamps of the typehaving three or four lamps, as well as in conjunction with otherelectrical apparatus where, for example, different degrees of heat aredesired.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following 3 detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a desk lamp or the like which has twolamps and which is illustrated to explain the present invention; I

FIGURE 2 is a wiring diagram of a control circuit exemplary of thepresent invention, as it is incorporated in the desk lamp of FIG. 1 toprovide progressive degrees of illumination;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional View of a hot water heater which has twoheating coils and which is illustrated to explain the adaptability ofthe present invention to other electrical apparatus than lamps;

FIGURE 4 is a side plan view of a pole lamp having three lamps;

FIGURE 5 is a wiring diagram of one manner in whlch the control circuitof the present invention can be connected to light the three lamps ofthe pole lamp of FIG. 4, to provide several degrees of illumination;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a pole lamp having four lamps;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are wiring diagrams illustrating how the control circuitof the present invention can be connected to light the four lamps of thepole lamp of FIG. 6, to provide different degrees of illumination; and

FIGURE 9* is a partial sectional view of a hot water heater which hasfour heating coils and which is illustrated to explain the adaptabilityof the present invention to other electrical apparatus, to providedifferent degrees of energization.

Referring now the drawing, in FIG. 1 there is shown a pair of lamps 10and 12 which are supported on a base 14. The base 14 in addition tosupporting the lamps 10 and 12 includes the hereinafter describedcircuitry and switch for controlling the degree of illumination of theselamps. A knob 16 mounted on the base 14 is connected to the aforesaidswitch for operating it.

The lamps 10 and 12 may be adjusted by bending the flexible supports 11and 13 to any practical spaced relation and, for the purpose ofemphasizing one of the advantages of the present invention, are shown tobe spaced a considerable distance apart. With the apparatus of the priorart, lamps 1t) and 12 are generally either both lighted simultaneouslyto illuminate the areas A and B or are individually lighted to light theareas A or B, respectively. It may be noted that when only one or theother of the lamps 10 and 12 is lighted, an unbalanced degree ofillumination is provided since the area normally illuminated by theother one of the lamps is dark. With the apparatus of the presentinvention, different degrees of illumination are provided, however,lamps 10 and 12 are always both lighted, hence the illumination isalways balanced. Furthermore, as explained in detail below, the lamps 10and 12 are lighted to provide different degrees of illumination, withoutwaste of power.

Referring now to FIG. 2 which shows the circuitry for lighting the lamps10 and 12, a two gang-four position switch 18 having wipers 20a and 20bassociated with contacts 21a-24a and 21b-24b, respectively, is connectedbetween the lamps 10 and '12 and the source of power 26 which may be the110-volt, 60 cycle source normally found in the home or oflice. One sideof the source of power 26 is connected by means of a conductor 28 toterminal A of lamp 10 and the other side of the source of power isconnected by means of a conductor 30 to terminal D of the lamp 12.Terminals B and C of the lamps 10 and 12, respectively, are connected bymeans of conductors 32 and 34 to the wipers 20a and 20b, respectively,of the switch 18. Contacts 21a and 21b of switch 18 are both openpositions; contacts 22a and 22b are connected to one another by means ofa conductor 36; contact 23a is connected to one terminal of a rectifier38 which has its other terminal connected to conductor 30 by means of aconductor 31; contact 2312 is connected to one terminal of a rectifier40 which has its other terminal connected to conductor 28 by means of aconductor 29; and contacts 24a and 24b are directly connected to 3'1 and29 (and hence conductor 30 and 28), respectively, bypassing therectifiers 38 and 40. The rectifiers 38 and 40 may be of any typecapable of handling the current flow in the above circuits.

With the above described arrangement, when wipers 20a and 20b of switch18 are engaged with contacts 21a and 21b, it is apparent that both lamps10 and 12 are deenergized. When wipers 20a and 2012 are engaged withcontacts 22a and 22b, current will flow from the source of power 26through conductor 28, through lamp 10, through conductor 32 to wiper 20aand contact 22w, through conductor 36 to contact 22b and wiper 20b,through conductor 34 and lamp 12 and back to the other side of thesource of power 26 through conductor 39. Lamps 10 and 12 are thereforeboth connected in series across the source of power and hence willoperate at only 25% full power, to thereby provide one degree ofillumination.

A second degree of illumination is provided when switch 18 is operatedto engage wipers 20a and 20b with the contacts 23a and 23b,respectively. In this switch position, during one-half cycle of thesource of power 26, current flows through conductors 30 and 31,rectifier 38, contact 23a and wiper 20a, conductor 32, lamp 10 andconductor 28 to the opposite side of the source of power. During theother one-half cycle of the source of power 26, the current flowsthrough conductors 28 and 29, rectifier 40, contact 23b and wiper 20b,conductor 34, lamp 12 and conductor 30 to the other side of the sourceof power. It may be noted that the rectifiers 38 and 40 alternatelyblock current flow to the lamps 10' and 12 during opposite alternationsof each cycle of the source of power, hence the lamps 10 and 12 eachoperate at only 50% full power, thereby providing the second degree ofillumination.

In operating the switch 18 to engage wipers 20a and 20b with contacts24a and 24b, respectively, lamps 10 and 12 are each connected directlyacross the source of power. In this case, both lamps are operating atfull power, hence a third degree of illumination is provided.

It may be noted that in each position of the switch 18, except the offposition, both of the lamps 10 and 12 are lighted, even though theintensity or degree of illumination is different in each case. Theillumination is therefore always balanced, that is, you never have acondition where only the area A or B is illuminated. It may be furthernoted that these different degrees of illumination are achieved withoutthe use of power wasting impedances, step-down transformers or the likeso that greater efliciency is provided.

One aspect of the invention which is not particularly apparent, butwhich is a very desirable feature, is the fact that a fixture of thetype shown in FIG. 1 can be used as both a reading lamp and as a nightlight in a bedroom. Normally, as previously indicated, in switching on alamp or fixture of this type, the lamp 10, for example, is illuminatedwith full intensity. If it is switched on in a room which is totallydark, the intensity of the illumination affects and has a painful effecton the eyes. With the arrangement of the present invention, using, forexample, 40 watt light bulbs, both of the lamps 10 and 12 can beswitched on simultaneously and the intensity of the illumination is suchthat the eyes can adjust almost instantaneously to the degree ofillumination. This is primarily due to the fact that lamps 10 and 12 areconnected in a series circuit with the source of power in the firstswitch position and they, therefore, are only at 25% full power. If theswitch is operated to the fourth position, the lamps 10 and 12 are eachconnected directly across the source of power, giving 100% full powerand sufficient illumination for lighting the room or for reading.

A low wattage warning lamp 46 can connected by means of conductor 48means of conductor 49 to the housing of the electrical apparatus toprovide a safety feature. With the lamp 46 so connected, a short circuitfrom the conductor 28 or 30 to the housing will cause current to flowthrough the lamp 46 when conductor 28 or 30 is positive with respect tothe conductors 48 and 50 and the lamp 46 will light to give a visualwarning that a short circuit which makes the lamp potentially dangeroushas occurred. The lamp 46 can be incorporated into the knob 16, as shownin FIG. 1, so that the entire knob will light up when a short circuitdevelops. A separate warning lamp can, of course, be provided andincorporated into the unit in a manner which will not detract from itsappearance.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a partial sectional view of a hot water heateror the like 50 having two heating coils 51 and 52, for the purpose ofillustrating the utility of the control circuit 15 of the presentinvention to provide different degrees of energization of electricalapparatus other than lamps. In the past, three-phase wiring normally isprovided and the heating coils were connected in delta and Y circuits toprovide different degrees of heating. With the present invention, theterminals of a pair of heating coils can be connected to the A-B and C-Dterminals of the control circuit of FIG. 2, respectively, and byoperating the switch 18, they can be energized to different degrees toprovide different degrees of heating. Other electrical apparatus can beconnected in a similar fashion.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a pole lamp of the well known type having lamps61-63 secured to a pole 64 which has expandable supports 65 and 66 onits ends for supporting the pole lamp 60 in an upright position, in thewell known manner. The control circuit 15 of the present invention iseasily adapted to the pole lamp 60 to provide an unusual lighting, orilluminating, effect. Normally, lamps be advantageously to ground and by61-63 are either independently energized or are progressively energizedso that one or more are energized simultaneously to provide thedifferent degrees of illumination. In FIG. 5 there is shown one mannerin which the 3 lamps 61-63 of the pole lamp of FIG. 4 may be energized,using the control circuit 15 of the present invention. The lamp 61 isconnected directly to the terminals A-B of the control circuit 15 andthe lamps 62 and 63 are each connected in parallel with its terminalC-D. With this arrangement, when the switch 18 is operated in the abovedescribed manner, the lamps 61-63 are energized simultaneously anddifferent degrees of illumination are provided. A still greater numberof degrees of illumination can be easily provided 'by including a switch70 in the circuit connection 72 so that the lamp 62 can be disconnectedfrom the circuit so that only lamps 61 and 63 are energized. The warninglight 46 can also be incor porated in a switch control knob 74 securedto the pole lamp 60 as in the case of the knob 16 of FIG. 1, to give avisual indication that a short circuit has occurred.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a pole lamp 76 which may be of the same type asthe pole lamp 60 of FIG. 4, with the exception that the pole lamp 76 has4 lamps 77-80 secured to a pole 81. In FIGS. 7 and 8 there areillustrated two ways in which the lamps 77-80 can be connected to thecontrol circuit 15 of the present invention to provide different degreesof illumination. In FIG. 7, the lamps 77 and 78 are connected in seriesacross the terminals A-B of the control circuit 15 and the lamps 79 and80 are connected in series across its terminals C-D. With thisarrangement, the operation is the same as in the case of the lamps 10and 12 of FIG. 1, except for the fact that when switch 18 is operatedterminals A-B and C-D of the control circuit are energized to light allof the lamps 77-80 simultaneously, and the three degrees of illuminationpreviously described are likewise provided. Additional degrees ofillumination and an entirely different lighting effect can be providedby incorporating a switch 84 having wipers 85 and 86 which are operatedsimultaneously to short out two of the lamps 78 and 80 so that onlylamps 77 and 79 are energized. It is also apparent that the individuallamps 77-80 could each have a switch for individually disconnecting themfrom circuit relationship so that four more different degrees ofillumination, or a total of 8 different degrees of illumination could beprovided with the circuitry of FIG. 7.

As in each of the previously described examples, a warning lamp 46 canbe incorporated into a switch control knob 88 secured to the pole 81 togive a visual indication that a short circuit has occurred. The switch84 can be advantageously provided in the form of a toggle switch, asshown in FIG. 6, so that the two switches 18 and 84 would not beconfused.

In FIG. 8 there is shown still another arrangement for energizing thelamps 77-80. With the arrangement of FIG. 8, a four gang-two positionswitch 90 is provided having wipers 91-94. The wipers 91 and 92 areconnected to the lamps 77 and 78 in a fashion such that when operated,they function to connect the lamps 77 and 78 in either a series or aparallel circuit relationship with the terminals A-B of the controlcircuit 15. The wipers 93 and 94 are likewise connected in circuitrelationship with the lamps 79 and 80 in a fashion such that whenoperated they function to connect the lamps 79 and 80 in either a seriesor a parallel circuit relationship with the terminals C-D of the controlcircuit 15. With the switch 90 operated to connect the lamps 77 and 78and the lamps 79 and 80 in series, a circuit substantially the same asthe circuit of FIG. 7 results so that in the first switch position ofswitch 18 lamps 77-80 are all connected in a series circuit and are allenergized simultaneously. With the switch 90 in the same position, theswitch 18 can be operated to connect the output terminals A-B and C-D inthe circuit relations described above to energize the series combinationof lamps 77 and 78 and lamps 79 and 80 to provide three differentdegrees of illumination, as described above. By operating the switch 90to connect the lamps 77 and 78 in parallel and the lamps 79 and 80 inparallel, three more different degrees of illumination are provided whenthe switch 18 is operated. The arrangement of FIG. 8 therefore providesat least six different degrees of illumination. Still additional degreesof illumination can be provided merely by providing a switch to controlthe circuit connections of the two lamps connected to each of the outputterminals A-B and C-D, respectively so that, for example, lamps 77 and78 can be connected in series circuit relationship and lamps 79 and 80can be connected in a parallel circuit relationship, or vice-versa. Inaddition, each of the lamps 77-80 could be individually controlled by aswitch. From the above description, it is apparent that the controlcircuit 15 of the present invention can be easily expanded and modifiedto provide an infinite number of different degrees of illumination, orenergization, in a manner which is relatively simple and inexpensive.The control circuitry and the various modifications or expansionsthereof makes it particularly adaptable for controlling the degree ofenergization of the lamps of a pole lamp.

In FIG. 9, there is shown a section of a hot water heater or the likehaving 4 heating coils 101-104. The output terminals -108 of the heatingcoils 101- 104 can be connected in the above described circuits shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, in place of the lamps 77-80, and energized in the mannerdescribed in connection with the lamps 77-80 to provide a number ofdifferent degrees of energization so that different degrees of heat canbe provided. For example, when the heating coils 101-104 are connectedto the circuit shown in FIG. 8 in place of the lamps 77-80, by operatingthe switches 18-90 in the appropriate manner at least six differentdegrees of heating can be provided. It is apparent that other electricalapparatus can be connected to the control circuit of the presentinvention in the manner shown in any one of the FIGS. 2, 5, 7 and 8 andenergized in the manner described, to provide different degrees ofenergization of the apparatus.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preecding description, are efiiciently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above construction withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A control circuit for providing a balanced, variable output toelectrical apparatus connected respectively as a load to a first andsecond pair of output terminals comprising: a pair of rectifier means; asource of alternating power; switch means coupled between said source ofpower and said first and second pair of output terminals, said switchmeans being operative in a first position to connect said first andsecond pair of output terminals and said source of power in a seriescircuit, operative in a second position to connect said first and secondpair of output terminals, respectively, in a parallel circuit with saidsource of power and operative in a third position to connect respectiveones of said pair of rectifier means in a series circuit with said firstand second pair of output terminals and said first and second pair ofoutput terminals and its associated rectifier means in parallel Withsaid source of power.

2. A control circuit, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair ofrectifier means are connected so as to be conductive on oppositeone-half cycles of said source of alternating power.

3. A control circuit, as claimed in claim 1, further including agrounding conductor coupled between the housing of said electricalapparatus and said source of power; and visual indicating means includedin said coupling which is energized when a short circuit has developedto give a visual indication that such a condition has occurred.

4. A light dimming arrangement for controlling the degree ofenergization of lamp means coupled respectively to a first and secondpair of output terminals to provide a balanced, variable degree ofillumination comprising, in combination: a pair of rectifier means; asource of alternating power; switch means coupled between said source ofpower and said first and second pair of output terminals, said switchmeans being operative in a first position to connect said first andsecond pair of output terminals and said source of power in a seriescircuit, operative in a second position to connect said first and secondpair of output terminals, respectively, in a parallel circuit with saidsource of power and operative in a third position to connect respectiveones of said rectifier means in a series circuit with said first andsecond pair of output terminals and said first and second pair of outputterminals and its associate rectifier means in parallel with said sourceof power.

5. A light dimming arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein saidrectifier means are connected in said series circuits with said lampmeans to limit current flow through each one of said lamp means toopposite one-half cycles of said source of power.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 769,638 9/1904 Sargent 307-371,300,546 4/1919 Armstrong 340255 3,180,999 4/1965 Kuykendall 315201JOHN W. HUCKERT, Primary Examiner.

D. O. KRAFT, R. SANDLER, Assistant Examiners.

1. A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR PROVIDING A BALANCED, VARIABLE OUTPUT TOELECTRICAL APPARATUS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY AS A LOAD TO A FIRST ANDSECOND PAIR OF OUTPUT TERMINALS COMPRISING: A PAIR OF RECTIFIER MEANS; ASOURCE OF ALTERNATING POWER; A SWITCH MEANS COUPLED BETWEEN SAID SOURCEOF POWER AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIR OF OUTPUT TERMINALS, SAID SWITCHMEANS BEING OPERATIVE IN A FIRST POSITION TO CONNECT SAID FIRST ANDSECOND PAIR OF OUTPUT TERMINALS AND SAID SOURCE OF POWER IN A SERIESCIRCUIT, OPERATIVE IN A SECOND POSITION TO CONNECT SAID FIRST AND SECONDPAIR OF OUTPUT TERMINALS, RESPECTIVELY, IN A PARALLEL CIRCUIT WITH SAIDSOURCE OF POWER AND OPERATIVE IN A THIRD POSITION TO CONNECT RESPECTIVEONES OF SAID PAIR OF RECTIFIER MEANS IN A SERIES CIRCUIT WITH SAID FIRSTAND SECOND PAIR OF OUTPUT TERMINALS AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIR OFOUTPUT TERMINALS AND ITS ASSOCIATED RECTIFIER MEANS IN PARALLEL WITHSAID SOURCE OF POWER.